Pennsporter: Design Concepts for Pier 68 Revealed at Pennsport Meeting

Three design concepts were revealed Thursday night at the second public meeting regarding the future of Pier 68. Held among the delicious smells of Vietnamese cuisine at Mekong River at Front and Titan Sts., the meeting aimed to once again get community input and feedback for potential uses and designs of the park area. Representatives from the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation (DRWC), Studio Bryan Hanes, and TEND Landscape were on hand to answer questions and meet the neighborhood.

Lizzie Woods greets the crowd at Mekong River

Lizzie Woods, Planner/Project Manager with the DRWC, explained that they are staying on track with the timeline of the project, even after the news that the tip of the pier will have to be removed -- potentially eating "a good chunk" of the current $1 million budget. Look for a few more meetings (like the one on April 28th at Settlement Music School in Queen Village) to nail down the final design and then construction to potentially begin at the end of the summer. Ms. Woods also explained that there is still the possibility of going after additional funding but they are moving forward with the current plan.

You may remember that the first meeting was similarly interactive in nature and sought to gather information from the public. Basically, this most recent meeting took that information and developed three design concepts based on that information.

Bryan Hanes, Lead Designer on Pier 68 and founder of Studio Bryan Hanes explained the vision for each design and encouraged everyone to take some time, review the concepts and present any feedback (positive or negative) as it is vital to the process. After all, they're looking to create something YOU want to use and enjoy.

Not a meeting person but still want your input to be heard? Take the design-specific surveys on the website in the near future. I would also encourage you to make your best effort to make the next meeting on April 28th.

Please click on the image to make it larger and forgive the quality of the photos.

Concept 1: "Down On The River"

Bryan Hanes mentioned this concept as a product of the feedback of the initial neighborhood meeting. It features a lot of green and places to sit for visitors to "commune with nature." You'll notice that Pier 68 is still a fishing pier as the floating fishing pad at the tip of the pier gives fisherman a defined space to cast a line.

Full board featuring Concept 1 for Pier 68

Close up of the overheard layout and features of Concept 1

Concept 2: "Watching The Tide"

The second concept is the most dynamic. It features large cutouts within the pier that contain "separate wetland ecologies" within each zone. As the tide rises and lowers, visitors can see the water interact with the pier and the wetland. Designed to "embed itself with the nature of the site", this concept offers an adventure and educational element not seen in the other iterations. The tip of the pier features a fishing loop that offers visitors and fisherman alike a chance to get further out onto the Delaware.

Full Board of Concept 2 highlights the ecology of the site

Edge of the pier features a walkway with inner and outer fishing zones

Topical view shows the cutouts that highlight tidal environments

Design 3: "Prime and Paint"

The third concept looked to celebrate the flash and glitz of the Mummers. The design calls for the pier to be vibrantly painted accompanied by other design elements and shade trees for visitors and fisherman. Bright colored furniture would also contribute to a true landmark experience. Given the minimal budget of the project, this concept looks to create "something Philadelphia has never seen before," according to Bryan Hanes. It also offers versatility for the space in the event that additional funding is obtained.